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“They got invited on a seniors’ cruise for the holidays”
“That’s wonderful” She s in so well I was a little worried about Moers I’m sure it disappointed her to tell her new friends no There will be other cruises, though”
Zoe’s concern for hereven more obscene in Grant’sout for Christ We’ve been planning the trip since before I visited the”
He reached across the seat and pressed his fingers around her ared theirChristmas with me?” She made it sound every bit as bad as it was
“It’s not the end of the world, Zoe Just think, you get to avoid the yearly Christurunted, and she said, “They aren’t as bad as they used to be anyway”
“You won’t be alone My parents are still co your help with dinner” It was a small stretch of the truth, but he was sure that his step Zoe’s help for dinner
There had to be things besides the turkey that Zoe could help prepare And since his step, so the foreman’s wife could be with her family, his comment wasn’t a real stretch at all
Zoe did not answer
Grant decided to change the subject It wouldn’t do Zoe any good to dwell on her strained relationship with her parents “Do you wantby the Patterson place, or take you to the Double C first?”
“Just drop reat job taking care of everyone I’m sure Snoopy wishes he could live over there permanently He was never meant to leave the ranch I should have taken you up on your offer to give hio I’ve been too stubborn”
Grant hated the dejected tone in her voice “I thought ht I won’t even make you cook”
She smiled at him briefly, and then turned to look out the“No, thanks I have work to do, and I don’t want to leave the cats cooped up in the bathroonored her co work to do, sure it was just an excuse
Grant would not let Zoe get out of the truck when they arrived at the Pattersons’ “I’ll just run in and get the cats”
Zoe watched him walk away and reh she had told hi could be further fro as she could re an empty place in Zoe’s heart left by her parents’ disapproval She should not be surprised that her mom and dad had opted to join their new friends on a cruise They’d never made it a secret that she didn’t live up to their expectations
How could she? She wasn’t the dead brother she’d never even knoho by all accounts had been the perfect rancher’s son She didn’t think her dad had ever forgiven her for being born fe born at all after he’d lost his precious son
Grant opened his door and a blast of cold air whooshed into the cab She shivered while he tucked the cat carrier in the extension behind the ht Alexander was unhappy about spending ti into the cat carrier”
Zoe grinned “That bad, huh?”
“I just hope we can find hiot one more day of school, and then I’ll be there and he can be out of the bathroo for a place”
She said nothing to this reminder of the rance ofcorn filled the kitchen, and soon the subtle aro a DVD when they arrived, and she’d accepted gratefully She knew he had stuff to do—he always did—but soed to make time for her when she needed hiuy
When the popcorn and coffee were done, they went together to the entertainment room “Want to watch an I Love Lucy episode?” Grant asked, knowing the old black-and-white comedy was one of her favorite shows